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To
Gerrit Smith, March 18:—
Douglas has appeared at last on the scene, and with him that vulgar swagger which ushered in the Nebraska debate.
Truly, truly, this is a godless place!
Read this report, also the President's messages, and see how completely the plainest rights of the people of Kansas are ignored.
My heart is sick.
And yet I am confident that Kansas will be a free State.
But we have before us a long season of excitement and ribald debate, in which truth will be mocked and reviled.
To
E. L. Pierce, March 21:—
I have received your beautiful and complete notice of my book.1 It is more than I deserved.
How little did I dream as I pursued my studies at College, and then at the Law School, that such things would ever be said of me, or of anything done by me. For your faithful friendship I am most grateful.
My brother George has come, and pleased me much by telling me good news of you. I am glad you are at Chicago, if you must be away from Massachusetts.
Trumbull is a hero, and more than a match for Douglas.
Illinois in sending him does much to make me forget that she sent Douglas.
You will read his main speech, which is able; but you can hardly appreciate the ready courage and power with which he grappled with his colleague and throttled him. We are all proud of his work.
To
C. F. Adams, March 29:—
Things look well,—never so well.
I am sure that Kansas will be a free State.
I am sure that we are going to beat them in the discussion, and I feel sanguine that under the welding heat of the Kansas question we are to have a true fusion with a real chance of success.
This is my conviction now. Seward will make the greatest speech of his life; he is showing new power daily.
I heard one of his speeches in caucus, and was quite electrified by it; it was powerful in its eloquence.
As soon as the
House had been organized, the inevitable question of
Kansas came to the front.
It was discussed on the question between
Whitfield and
Reeder, claimants for the seat of territorial delegate; and at length, March 19, a resolution was carried for sending an investigating committee to the
Territory.
This, following the election of a Republican speaker, was the second victory of the opponents of slavery.
One member of the committee,
John Sherman of
Ohio, was destined to occupy a large place in the history of his country.
The committee arrived at
Lawrence, April 18, and after a prolonged investigation made a full report, in which
Howard and
Sherman joined (
Oliver of
